


The Promise of a Shared Life

by fineinthemorning



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Honeymoon, M/M, newlyweds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 15:21:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21038381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fineinthemorning/pseuds/fineinthemorning
Summary: Goro and Akira reflect on their new life that they've now promised to share together.





	The Promise of a Shared Life

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you can enjoy this single piece of fluff.

The sky never looked so wide. Spread out across the ocean meeting at the horizon in an orange glow, it bled a rainbow sunset that started in the sea and ran overhead to disappear into the blue on the other side of the island. 

Above, the sun’s rays drew an aura of symbolic finality to the first day that marked their new lives together. Below, the sea shimmered with a lit path straight from the heaven they’d found themselves in to the afterlife of the paradise tomorrow would bring.

His hand reached and locked in his lover’s, and with claret eyes wide with the light of the day’s end, Goro, too much in awe to break the serenity of the moment, whispered softly into the sea-salt air, “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

“I have,” Akira replied suggestively, having no problem with breaking the moment with two quick squeezes of his husband’s hand and a smirk that made him look far too satisfied with himself to be taken seriously.

Goro pulled his eyes from the sunset to catch Akira’s eyebrows fly up his forehead twice to compliment the same obscene smugness of his voice only for Goro to merely roll his eyes in response.

Akira smiled, and gray eyes, no longer hidden behind the protection of the wide-rimmed glasses of his high school years, shined with mirth. “You chose this,” he reminded Goro, bringing his hand to his lips to kiss the knuckles of his newly-wedded king. 

Unable to hide a smile and not caring to make the effort, Goro shook his head with a blush and teased, “Let’s hope it was a good choice.”

With a quick nod of his chin and half-lidded bedroom eyes once more too over the top to take as anything more than a farce, Akira insisted, “The best choice you ever made.”

An abrupt snort erupted from the brunette at his husband’s antics, and he patted Akira’s hand with mock reassurance, “Yes, yes, dear.”

Apparently more invested in intimacy than he’d lead on, Akira sat up and ghosted his nose and lips over Goro’s left ear, “It’s our honeymoon. You could stand to be a little romanced.”

Despite the heat rising in his cheeks, Goro turned to him with a raised eyebrow, “With your incessant charisma?”

Akira leaned back and crossed his arms, feigning offense, “I’m not sure whether to feel proud or hurt when you label my charms as ‘ _ incessant _ ’.”

“Both?”

Akira made a show of a long sigh, but a smile fought through before he could finish his performance.

Goro shared a fond smile before returning his eyes to the sunset. The white, cement houses were colored hues of pink no paint could hope to replicate, and the rocks below burned as silent, golden embers of the dying day. Goro had never considered walking on water until now. Perhaps marriage was more than a mere ceremony, and a honeymoon more than a vacation.

“We are truly in the most beautiful place on Earth,” he murmured, lost once more to the scenery around them.

“Yeah . . .”

He knew that voice-- that  _ tone _ . Goro turned in time to see it; soft gray eyes that grasped something far beyond human perception stared back at him, and he lost himself yet again in a world he’d never be tired of visiting.

“It’s . . .” his mind could not articulate his heart, so he started again, “we’ve been together now five years. We’re married now, and I--” 

Words had been such faithful weapons, but as friends, they all but failed him.

“What is it?” Akira asked, concerned. 

Goro tried once more, “With a single look, you make me feel a lifetime . . . of love.”

Akira blinked the world away, awe crossing his features in fragile disbelief. 

Goro blushed and looked back at the sunset, the safer of the two miracles, “That was corny.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

Goro looked back to his husband, and he struggled to look away as a familiar heat spread across his lover’s face, “It was out of character, forgive me.”

And then, Akira had to laugh of all things, and Goro lost the ability to blink, “I didn’t expect to be romanced myself.”

They were in the most beautiful place in the world and the only sound was the melody of a voice he’d be able to take back home with him to have and hold the rest of his life. 

Akira broke the spell he’d cast with a blink and a quiet, patient concern at Goro’s silence.

Without thought, Goro’s heart pled for mercy, “There’s this once in a lifetime sunset spread across the sky before us, and I can’t bring myself to look away from you.”

Akira had to laugh again, his own face turning a lovely pink, nearly red color that told of just how effective Goro’s little heart-attack had been, “Goro, you’re killing me.” Akira visibly struggled with his own racing heart, “I need to write these down.” He pulled out his phone to tap out a note and put it away in less than a minute. He took a deep breath, released it slowly, and attempted to turn up the charm he’d since lost in his fits of embarrassed laughter, “And . . . if you like it that much, we can come back.”

They had not been in Greece a day, and already he was promising a return? 

Promises.

Was that what marriage was then? It wasn’t merely a name change?

“You think we’ll make it back?” Goro asked tentatively, fear infringing upon their quiet utopia. 

“We’re going to spend the rest of our lives together, Goro. Did you forget?” Akira took Goro’s left hand once more, but this time, held it up so that his wedding ring could catch the glowing light of the sinking sun.

“The divorce rate in Japan is thirty-four percent,” he replied, looking at the ring with a sinking feeling.

Suddenly, gray filled his vision, and he was transported once more to the place only one person in this world could take him. 

“Goro, I love you.”

He could feel himself nodding, but even in the acknowledgement that his fears were unfounded, he could not help but leave Akira an opening, “Yes, you chose this.”

His husband’s infectious smile left him mirroring the same, and the fear quieted down to a whisper as he buried his face in Akira’s neck to watch the purples overtake the pinks and the oranges disappear. 

The rest of their lives? Who could know how long that’d be? His life thus far, or at least before Akira and the others, had been broken promises, deceit, and a hundred-thousand unknowns. 

Marriage was certainty, honesty, and, most importantly . . . a promise. 

Goro pulled away to meet his husband's eyes with a soft smile, “You do know, Akira . . . you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Akira looked away, blushing despite having heard these words at least a hundred times, “And so you often remind me.” They shared a smile before they both turned to the darkening scenery before them. Goro felt his husband’s arms around him and relaxed into the warmth he’d learned to know, love, and above all, trust.

“Can I be honest with you?” Akira asked just as the sun disappeared and every shade of violet cloaked the sky.

Goro stopped a laugh short at the question, “Shouldn’t you have asked that before we spent the last five years together and then,” he checked his left wrist for the time, “ . . . twenty-three hours and nineteen minutes ago ceremoniously promised our undying love through the outdated, money-making tradition that is a wedding?”

Akira bit his earlobe in retaliation, “It’s just an expression, asshole.”

Goro playfully pushed him away, laughing, “Good to know the pet names are sticking, trash.”

“I love you.”

And there he was again, living a lifetime in a single moment, all inside the love that emanated from the one person he accepted into his heart completely. He realized his hands had ended up on Akira’s chest, and the soft cotton of his shirt was warm and inviting in the evening’s chill. He moved his arms up to rest on Akira’s shoulders, scooting closer to him for warmth, “You never get tired of saying it, especially at the most random of times.”

Akira smirked, “If it earns me your blushing cheeks every-single-time then it is so worth it.” 

Goro rolled his eyes, “Well, you have my attention. What were you asking?”

“Not asking exactly just— I wanted to confess.”

A secret? They still had secrets between them?

He must have noticed Goro falling inside his thoughts once more because Akira gave a mock cross to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Yusuke, and bowed his head next, “Oh, Father Goro, could—“

“Don’t ever call me that again,” Goro interrupted with a half-hearted shove unfortunately only able to look angry a few seconds before a smile split his frown.

“It’s Catholic.”

“You’re not Catholic,” Goro reasoned, “And furthermore, I’m no one’s father or daddy or whatever. I draw the line at ‘ _ babe _ ’ and even that one is a little questionable.”

Akira nodded, clearly amused, “Noted. Anyway,” and then he stopped, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and released it slowly, “I wanted to confess that,” he opened his eyes to capture Goro’s own, “ . . . I’m happy.”

Goro pulled him close, their lips connecting the same way they had a million times before, except this time a promise rested on them-- a whisper of hope that held no looming expiration date, no weakness to argument, no tangible malleability with time or change.

It had taken so long for Goro to fully understand his own happiness, let alone someone else’s. But to be the reason for someone’s happiness, to bring them happiness, to, just by being who he was, fully and unapologetically, make someone happy? And then that someone be Akira, the one person whom he was certain that despite any faults he had deserved the world completely, deserved every happiness, every kindness, every treasure--

Goro pulled away, and Akira kissed his forehead gently, a small, sweet affection that melted him to his very core. Goro emitted a small sigh before finally shaking his head disapprovingly, “Well, this honeymoon means we’re cooking at home for the next three months, so I should hope it’s worth it to you.”

Akira chuckled softly, “No, no, you know what I mean.”

Of course he knew what he meant.

Still, Akira went on, “I’m happy you and I are here together. I want to share every sunset and every night sky with you for the rest of my life.”

Goro felt Akira’s hands in his once more.

“You’re blushing again,” his husband grinned back at him deviously. 

Goro shrugged, looking at their hands as the stars came out and the moon crept up, “I’m happy, too.”

“So? Do you promise?”

Goro snorted, a smile breaking through once more, “What if I have to stay late at work? Or we go out to see a movie or—“

“Three times a week,” Akira compromised.

“That’s doable,” Goro reclaimed his hands only to hold out his left.

This, of course, had Akira in a fit of laughter, “Are you seriously asking to shake on it?”

“I thought it would make you happy,” Goro shrugged again, fully aware that the red on his cheeks was only spreading.

Akira shook his head, smiling fondly as he reached out to latch his pinky around Goro’s own. Seconds into their pinky promise, he pulled Goro forward suddenly into an embrace, face shamelessly lost inside honey-brown hair. 

Goro audibly sighed at the surprise, but moved into his husband’s lap all the same as the scent of Akira all around him clouded every other thought.

The few, short streetlights below them lit up, and the tiny village of Finikia bathed in shades of gray beneath a black, diamond sky. Goro closed his eyes and let Akira’s warmth defend him from the cool, night air.

The moment was short-lived as Akira pulled away to meet Goro’s eyes only, “What do you want to share with me?”

“Specifically?” immediately thoughtful, Goro began to study empty space for answers.

“Yes.”

He could feel Akira’s eyes on him as he thought it over, and when he looked up again, he answered honestly with a single word, “Aging.”

Clearly not expecting the answer, Akira smiled at that, “What? Aging? Getting old?”

“Don’t laugh,” Goro threatened, going serious in an instant, “I never thought . . .” he looked away, eyes falling to a pair of donkeys being led by a local in the streets below before he gathered the courage to face Akira once more, “I never thought I’d live past 18.”

“Goro?”

“Certainly never make it past 19,” he added.

“Honey.” Akira reached for him, his gray eyes going soft.

Goro stopped Akira’s embrace by simply taking his hands in his own. “Every year since then is like an extra year of life I didn’t plan for. Bonus . . .  _ time _ ?” he admitted, attempting to articulate once more the message his heart beat endlessly through his veins, “ And every year with you since then has felt . . . “

“ _ Babe. _ ”

Goro’s tone dropped in an instant, far too used to his husband’s treatment of heart to heart conversations, “Like I said, questionable.”

Akira grinned, clearly debating whether or not to call Goro out on how incredibly sweet he was being, “I want to grow old with you too, honey.”

“I should hope so,” he argued playfully, “We  _ are _ married now.”

“It’s a promise then. You watch the sunset with me, and I’ll grow old with you.” 

Goro nodded, and they sealed the pact with a kiss.

A marriage was a promise, then. It was a promise of many more to come, many more to keep and to be kept. Days, months, years, and decades of bettering each other through shared experiences, compromises, conversations, and connections.

The promise of a  _ shared life _ . 

Goro had, for most of his life, been certain he’d never make it here, and yet-- He brought his thief’s hands to his lips and kissed them both before relaxing back inside his embrace. “Our first sunset is over,” he lamented.

“That’s right,” Akira’s voice had gone soft, tender with the display of affection he’d just received, “And this was the first sunset of the new you, Kurusu Goro.”

Goro wasn’t sure what got him more: forehead kisses or hearing his name now forever tied to Akira’s. “You said the same thing last time.”

Akira replied only with a curious hum, so Goro clarified, tone serious, “When I survived and rejoined . . . you,” he said vaguely. It was funny how some things, like never seeing his twentieth birthday, were easy to talk about and yet others still felt like a wound that needed years more to heal. “You said . . . that I’m someone new.”

“I love that about you, though,” Akira admitted easily, “You always surprise me. You get better and better the more time we spend together.”

“But we bring out the worst in each other.” It had always been true.

“And the best.” However, that much was equally true.

“Are you indirectly complimenting yourself?” Goro accused.

Akira finally moved, but only to wrap arms around Goro’s middle and somehow pull him closer, “Hey now, I can’t take credit for everything. We’re a team.”

Goro lifted Akira’s left hand up into the light from the balcony of the house above them, “Legally now.”

“That’s right,” Akira intertwined their fingers.

“Promise me then?”

Akira let go, sitting up properly, “We did.”

“No, promise me now,” appearing quite stubborn, Goro faced him, holding out his pinky on his left hand, “Will you, Kurusu Akira, share your life with me? From this day forward?”

Akira exhaled an adoring smile to his lips, eyes glistening with unshed tears. He lifted his own pinky and latched onto Goro. “Only if you do the same for me.” With the promise finished, Akira pulled their hands closer to him, once more pulling Goro along with him. They fell easily into a kiss, then an embrace, and finally a lazy entanglement of arms and legs.

The wind was the only song in the darkness of the island village, and with most people home and turned in for the night, Goro felt like they were the last two people on Santorini. The moon on the water and the stars overhead lit his husband’s face and washed them both in the simplicity of a life led shared.

Akira broke the silence with a contented sigh, leaning forward to rest his forehead against Goro’s, “So many promises within promises in a single day.”

Goro pulled away to get a better look at him, noticing that the shine in his eyes still hadn’t gone away, “Get used to it. Our whole future together is a promise.”

Akira blinked, and unmistakably, water fell from his eyes, “That one got me,” he wiped his cheeks, still trying to smile through tears, “Where did you learn these lines?”

Self-satisfied, Goro pressed just a bit harder, taking Akira’s hands in his to keep him from hiding his defeat at the hands of Goro’s sentimentalism, “I’m only speaking from my heart, Akira.”

“Is it possible to die of happiness?” 

More tears fell, and Goro, suddenly a bit guilty for undoing his husband in such a way, leaned in to kiss his cheeks free of saltwater. 

“Well, technically,” he said between kisses, “it’s possible that--”

“Rhetorical question, nerd,” Akira chuckled, embarrassed as he wiped away the rest of the evidence of the overemotional state he’d found himself in at the words of his husband.

“You promised we’d grow old together. You have to live at least another seventy-seven years.”

Recovered, Akira shook his head in disbelief, “You want me to live to 100?”

Goro crossed his arms, “I’m the one with the pressure. That would mean I have to live until I’m 102.”

“Such high standards,” Akira tsk’d.

Goro smiled knowingly, “Which is why I ended up with you, of course.”

“I love you,” Akira promised.

“I love you, too,” Goro answered with a promise of his own, content with the knowledge that marrying Akira was merely the first step in the lifelong journey they’d complete together.

**Author's Note:**

> This was for my digital entry for the @p5weddingzine  
I'm so grateful I was able to be a part of such a wonderful, welcoming, and sweet project. I was very shy to do so, but with encouragement, I wrote poetry for the physical zine and then this story for the digital one.  
I wrote all 4 of those pieces while getting ready for my own P5-themed wedding, so being a part of the zine was extra special.  
I'm happy to say my husband and I were married ten short days ago, and I'm grateful I can share some of those mushy feelings with you. If you have the chance, please enjoy the zine if possible. I'm a little nervous to actually post poetry, but maybe one day? OTL  
Thank you all for your support, and please take care.


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